本研究運用詮釋研究法，經由長期而深入的教室觀察，以了解國中理化教師在進行一般教學及實驗活動的真實狀況，用以探究其教學信念。本研究並就教學行為表現及實驗活動發展觀察指標，提供教師本身做為自我觀察及評量教學模式的工具。
個案教師包括三位女性國中理化科教師，包括了「新任教師」與「資深教師」；丁老師為實習教師；蓋老師已有十六年教學經驗，並於八十年獲頌「師鐸獎」；李老師有七年教學經驗，目前正參加美國北受荷華州立大學的暑期科學教育進修班，修業期滿之後可取得碩士學位。
研究結果顯示：三位個案教師皆以「教師中心」為模式，依據教材進行教學。分析資料顯示：教師在一節課中主動講述方面佔了百分之八十以上，甚少採用各種以「學生為主」的學習活動；惟李老師在講述的過程中，使用許多肢體動作及聲音模仿，用以吸引學生的注意力，增加學習動機。在實驗活動中，學生則以進行基本操作為主，甚少進入推理、應用等高階層的學習。因為考量實驗室安全以及維持秩序較難，蓋老師採用全班性的教學模式，學生根據她的指示遂步地操作實驗，因此，她能有效地控制全班的實驗進度，並可掌握時間於實驗完成後進行討論工作，使學生得到良好的學習效果。丁老師因為缺乏經驗，較無法掌握教學流程以及控制實驗活動的進行。
歸納個案教師的教學模式，深受現行教材、聯考制度及學生程度的影響，而教師本身的教學經驗，以及在其求學階段中授業教師的教學表現，更成為影響其教學信念的重要因素。

This study involved an interpretive pesearch methodology in which the questions emerged from intensive classroom observations of three physical science teachers at two junior high schools in Taipei. The study started with a presentation of their teaching practices and laboratory activities in order to explore their beliefs. The classroom observation scales developed in the study will provide self-observation and assessment tools to all teachers.
Three female physics science teachers, including novice and expert ones, were selected to participate in this research: Ms. Ding was a firstyear teacher; Ms. Shiau had 16-year experience in teaching and had been honored with a national award for excellent teachers in 1991; and Ms. Lee, who had 7-year experience in teaching, had been studying for a Master's degree in Science Education in Northern Iowa University, U. S. A. for a few summers.
The results showed that all three case teachers adopted "teacher-centered" strategies and rarely exercised " student-centered" activities. Ms. Lee used " body language" to raise the students' interest. In the laboratory, the students practiced operational performance instead of high level ( for example, inferring or applying ) activities. Ms. Shiau tended to emphasize whole-class activities. She was successful in her laboratory teaching because she was an effective classroom manager and this enabled her to facilitate the students' learning. Being lacking in teaching experience, Ms. Ding was unable to teach fluently or to control the laboratory activities effectively.
The findings from this study indicated that five types of beliefs influenced the case teachers' instruction, that is, (1) subject-centered views of curriculum, (2) the pressure of Senior High School Joined Entrance Examination in Taiwan, (3) the students' academic achievement, (4) the teachers' teaching experience, and (5) the teaching styles of their teachers.